25,000 days since the birth of MLB’s greatest Canadian, Fergie Jenkins (5/25/11)

25,000 days ago, Hall of Fame pitcher Ferguson Jenkins was born. Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, I have some vague memories of him. I remember watching clips of Cub games, when the crowd would always cheer wildly for the old black guy on the mound.

Why shouldn’t they cheer wildly? To an eight-year-old like myself he was just another veteran pitcher. But to those with longer memories, he was part of Cub folklore, as he won 20 games six consecutive seasons for the Cubs—from 1967-1972. He won the 1971 Cy Young Award and anchored the not-quite-good-enough 1969 team that blew an 8.5 game lead on the Mets in less than two months, only to finish eight games behind—well out of the postseason.

While most famous as a Cub, he also pitched for the Phillies, Rangers and Red Sox. In fact, he still owns the Rangers’ team record for most wins in a season: 25, achieved in 1974. No other hurler’s won more than 21 games in a year for that franchise, now in its 50th season.

One other factor about Jenkins: he is the only Canadian-born player in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

That leads to a question: what would an all-time all-Canada team look like? I had a few minutes of fun and put together this 25-man roster:

There are a lot of recent guys on this team. The most striking factor, though, is the complete lack of talent with up-the-middle position players. I put Jeff Heath in center because I needed someone in center; he’s really a left fielder. Consider all their good outfielders and corner outfielders—and they have a lot of good outfielders. I didn’t even have room for George Selkirk or George Wood, who were both pretty good.

The middle infield is fairly weak. Smith and Irwin are the only notable ones I found. Backup infielder Frank O’Rourke is a name I remember from my stat-nerdy childhood. Looking through the late, great Neft/Cohen Encyclopedia, I figured the worst batting in a season ever by a person listed as a starter came from O’Rourke, when he hit .122 for the 1912 Braves. He only played 61 games, but he still spent more time at short than anyone else.

Shortstop Irwin can also manage, as teams hired him as skipper a half-dozen times. He also led the most interesting life of anyone here. He was a bigamist whose double marital life didn’t come to light until he died at sea, by falling off a boat he was on and drowning in the Atlantic Ocean.

Jenkins is the best player though. His only competition is outfielder Larry Walker.

Aside from Jenkins’ “day-versary” today, many other events celebrate a day-versary or anniversary today. Here are some, with the better ones in bold if you just want to skim:

1914 A win by the Pirates pushes manager Fred Clarke 458 games over .500 for his career (1,481-1,023), which is his all-time peak. He’ll go 121-158 from here on out before leaving the dugout. Fun fact: at one point Clarke was the game’s all-time winningest manager.

1921 Babe Ruth hits reputedly the longest home run ever at Sportsman’s Park in St. Louis, estimated at 500 feet.

1922 Babe Ruth earns one of his five suspensions in 1922. After called out trying to stretch a single into a double, he tosses dirt in the umpire’s face and goes after a heckling fan. He’s ejected, fined $500, and suspended one game. He’ll also lose his captaincy of the Yankees, a title he was awarded only six games earlier.

1922 Sam Rice, who hits 34 home runs in well 10,246 career PA, homers for the second straight day. Unlike yesterday, today’s home run is an inside-the-park shot.

1922 Supreme Court rules against Federal League in its case against organized baseball, as the court rules 9-0 that baseball is a sport and not interstate commerce, and thus not subject to normal anti-trust laws.

1935 Babe Ruth’s last moment of glory. He goes 4-for-4 with three home runs – the last three of his career. He ties his personal best for total bases in one game (13) and homers. His team loses anyway: Pirates 11, Braves 7. Random fact: as great as Ruth’s achievement was, it’s arguably not the greatest one to occur on this day. Also on May 25, 1935, Jesse Owens sets five world records and ties a sixth and the Big Ten track and field championships.

1937 Mickey Cochrane, Hall of Fame catcher, suffers a triple skull fracture after he’s beaned in head by Bump Hadley. After spending a few days in a coma he survives, but never plays ball again.

1939 Yankee pitcher Red Ruffing wins his 200th game: 200-184 for his career. He lost 100 games before winning 60.

1939 Bob Feller tosses his 2nd career one-hitter. He’ll end his career with a record 12 one-hitters. He fans 10 and walks six in this one. His Indian teammate Ken Keltner bangs out three home runs in his support

1941 Luke Appling, Hall of Fame White Sox shortstop, plays his 447th straight game without hitting a home run. He’ll get one next game. He’ll also get one many years later in an Old Times Game at age 81 (I think). Reputedly, that Old Timers Game garnered him more fan mail than anything else in his career.

1960 Don Drysdale, a very good hitting pitcher, has maybe his worst day at the plate: 0-for-4 with 4 Ks. It’s his only 4-K game.

1961 Pitchers duel: LA 1, STL 0. It’s Sandy Koufax versus Bob Gibson. Koufax: 9 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 3 BB, 8 K. Bob Gibson: 8 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 8 K. (Lindy McDaniel pitched the ninth for St. Louis). Though both become iconic pitchers, each is still trying to establish themselves. The loss gives Gibson a career record of 8-12, while the win gives Koufax a career record of 41-42. A Tommy Davis home run accounted for the day’s scoring. St. Louis All-Star third baseman Ken Boyer has according to WPA his worst game ever: 0-for-4 with 2 Ks and a –0.427 WPA.

1964 Groundbreaking begins for St. Louis’ new stadium, Busch.

1965 Don Drysdale, who never threw a no-hitter in his career, has his only complete game one-hitter. Curt Flood of the Cardinals hit a leadoff single in the first inning, but that was it. Aside from an error but LA’s shortstop, no one else go on base all day against Drysdale.

1969 Angels fire Bill Rigney after a loss today. He was the first manager in team’s history and until Mike Scioscia their longest-lasting one in franchise history. The loss also gives Bill Rigney a career record 92 games under .500, his all-time worst (957-1,049).

1971 Reggie Jackson hits the first of 10 walk-off home runs in his career. He’ll have two more by the end of 1971.

1971 Carl Yastrzemski draws five walks in one game. He went 1-for-1 otherwise, but the Senators prevail over the Red Sox, 6-5.

1980 Dodgers lose 2-1 in heartbreaking fashion to the Cubs. They lead 1-0 entering the bottom of the ninth only to suffer through this sequence: ground out, double, single (lead runner advances to third), fly out, and error by the shortstop that allows the tying and winning runs to score. You rarely ever have the tying and winning runs score on a walk-off error.